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NEW ORLEANS - For the ninth consecutive year, Tulane's student-athletes remain one of the best groups in the nation with their performance in the classroom as nine of TU's varsity sports teams that competed in 2011-12 scored above their national averages, according to the most recent multi-year Academic Performance Rates (APR) released on Tuesday by the NCAA.

"We are pleased to see Tulane student-athletes continue to consistently rank among nation's best in their classroom accomplishments," Tulane Director of Athletics Rick Dickson said. "Seven of our programs for 2011-12 produced perfect scores and four achieved special recognition in the multi-year APR report. It speaks to the determination and focus of the quality student-athletes at Tulane and to the dedication of our academic staff in supporting them."

Now in its ninth year, the APR is a real-time measure of eligibility and retention of student-athletes competing on every Division I sports team. The most recent APR scores are based on a multi-year rate that averages scores from the 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years.

The APR is calculated for every Division I sports team each academic year, based on the eligibility and retention of each scholarship student-athlete. Teams scoring below certain thresholds can face sanctions, such as postseason competition bans, scholarship losses and restrictions on practice. Rates are calculated every year and on a rolling basis to capture the past four years' performance.

The Division I Board of Directors last fall approved tougher academic standards, including setting a new standard that teams must meet to compete in the postseason.

The standard for postseason access once stood at 900, but over the next few years climbs to 930, which equates to a 50 percent Graduation Success Rate. To assist limited-resource institutions, the board gave these schools and their teams more flexibility to meet the standards.

Along with those seven programs, the Tulane men's cross country, men's tennis, men's outdoor track & field and women's swimming programs were recognized last week by the NCAA for placing in the top 10-percent in their sports on the multiyear APR.

The Green Wave's men's basketball score for 2011-12 of 1000 was 48 points higher than the national average of 952 and higher than the 945 average among private institutions. Football's score of 948 was one point below the 949 national average. Baseball's score of 972 was seven points higher than the national average.

The 1000 score for the Green Wave men's tennis team was higher than the 974 national average and the 980 average among private institutions. Women's Basketball's 1000 score for 2011-12 was well above the 972 national average and the 980 private school average.

The Tulane women's cross country program's 1000 APR for 2011-12 was 17 points higher than the national average of 983 and 11 points better than the 989 among private institutions. The women's swimming & diving program also scored a 1000 in 2011-12 and scored well above the 986 national average and the 989 private school average.

The goal of academic reform is improvement, not punishment. Not only does academic reform ensure accountability for student-athletes, teams and institutions, but also it provides fairness by considering individual circumstances per team and school.

Tulane's complete APR report, as well as the scores of all NCAA schools, is available on-line at www.ncaa.org.

The mission of the Tulane University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is to support the university's purpose of enriching the capacity to think, learn, act, and lead with integrity and wisdom. This is ensured by providing our student-athletes and staff with opportunities for competitive success and personal growth within the context of sportsmanship, teamwork, and integrity.